Ice-can fastener for ice plants.



W. C. DRAKE.

ICE CAN FASTENER FOR ICE PLANTS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.18, 1913.

Patented Aug. 11, 1914;

M M 1 y M M l W W W w WWII/45% INVENTO'R WITNESSES ATTO R N EY THE NORRIS PETERS CO1, PHOTO LITHOH WASHINGTON, D, C:

WILLIAM C. DRAKE, or LYRA, TExAs.

ICE-CAN FASTENER FOR ICE PLANTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedAug'.11, 1914..

. Application filed August 18. 1913. Serial No. 785,330.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known. that I, WILLIAM C. DRAKE, a citizen of the, United States, residing at Lyra, in the county of Palo Pinto and State ofTeXas, have invented a new and useful Ice-Can Fastener for Ice Plants, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to an ice can fastener for ice plants.

The object of the present invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive and efficient fastening device of strong and durable construction adapted to be easily operated with one hand to fasten and release an ice can, and capable of firmly securing the same in a straight position against the bottom of a brine tank, whereby the water contained within the can will freeze more quickly and produce a cake of ice, at the top.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended; it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction, Within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawing z-Figure l is a longitudinal sectional view of a portion of a brine tank, provided with a fastening device, constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the tank, showing the fastener, the can being removed.

Like numerals of reference responding drawing.

In the accompanying drawing in which is illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention, the ice can fastener comprises in its construction a wedge 1, adapted to engage an ice can 2 for holding the same in a straight position firmly against the bottom of a brine tank 3, whereby the water contained within the ice can will freeze more quickly and will produce a cake of ice, which will be square at the top. The brine tank may be of any preferred construction, and the ice can may be arranged within the same in any suitable manner. In the accompanying drawing, the wedge 13 snown which will be square designate corparts in all the figures of the interposed between one of the walls of the brine tank and one end of the ice can, but the fastener may be arranged at any other preferred point. The wedge l is designed to be constructed or a combination of the same, and it tapers downwardly and presents a fiat vertical face 4 to the wall of the brine tank and an A inclined inner face 5, which firmly engages the icecan 2 and extends upwardly over the same. The wedge is provided in its outer face with a recess 6, arranged at the upper end of the wedge and receiving the free end of an oscillatory link 7, which is pivoted at its other end to the tank by a bolt 8, or other suitable fastening device. The free end of the tank is pivoted by a bolt 9 or other suitable means to the wedge, which is carried upwardly and downwardly with the link in the swinging movement thereof. The wedge is adapted to be readily engaged with and disengaged from the ice can with one hand, and when it is forced downwardly between the tank and the ice can, the latter is firmly held against the bottom of the brine tank and securely retained in a submerged condition. The link 7, which is swung upwardly and downwardly to disengage it from and engage it with the ice can, is preferably constructed of resilient material and when disengaged from the ice can is arranged clear of the wall of the tank, the resiliency of the link permitting the wedge to be forced into engagement with both the ice can and the wall of the tank. While the link of the fastening device is shown pivoted directly to one of the walls of the brine tank and the wedge is directly interposed between such wall and the ice can, any other suitable means may be provided for supporting the link and for forming a coacting abutment for the wedge. The brine tank is provided with a removable cover of the ordinary construction.

By submerging the ice can in the brine, it has been found by experience that the water contained in the can freezes in less time than with the ordinary ice can apparatus, in which the cans extend above the surface of the brine. Also by submerging the ice cans they will produce a cake of ice having a square top.

What is claimed is 1. The combination with a brine tank, and an ice can, of a fastening device comprising a wedge arranged to engage the ice of either wood or metal,

can for holding the same against the bot tom of the brine tank, and an oscillatory arm pivotally mounted within the brine tank and carrying the wedgeand arranged to swing downwardly and upwardly to en gage the wedge with the tank and disengage it'therefrom.

2. The combination with a brine tank, and an ice can, of a fastening device including a wedge adapted to be interposed between the ice can and a wall of the tank for holding the can firmly against the bottom of the latter, and -movable means mounted wardly and adapted to engage an ice can at" the exterior thereof for holding the can firmly in a brine tank, and an oscillatory linklpivotally connected at the end to the 1 wedge and arranged to swing upwardly and downwardly, and means 'for pivotally mountingthe other end of the link within a brine tank.

fl. The, combination with a brme tank, and an 1ce' can havlng a cover, sa1d brine tank being of sufficient depth to enable the can to be entirely submerged within it, of

a fasteningdevice located at 'one of thewalls of the tankand arranged toengage'andrig V idly clamp 'the ice can to hold the same with the cover thereon in submerged PQSl};

tion;

Witnesses: 1 a

L. C. FLo A, v D. S. BRADFORD.

Copies of this p atent'may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing 'thei Commissioner of Patents; 3

' Washington, D. O.

In testimony, that Iclaimthe iforegoing 7 as my own, I have hereto afiixed'mysignag" V ture in the presence of twO witne s WILLIAMLQ 

